Who is Song Yadong fighting next? Sean O'Malley, Chito Vera, and other potential opponents
Song Yadong's next fight could be with an elite contender after his spectacular showing at UFC Vegas 72 this weekend.
The Chinese standout took on number 10 ranked bantamweight contender Ricky Simon in the main event at UFC Vegas 72. Both fighters started off cautiously, with Simon likely edging out the opening frame based on optics.
Yadong started finding his range in round 2 and even appeared to have visibly rocked his opponent in the pocket. However, it was later revealed that a clash of heads rocked Simon who did a wonderful job of level-changing into a takedown.
'Kung Fu Kid' started landing even more significant strikes in the third round as Simon's output visibly lessened. Yadong inflicted visible damage to Simon's face in the fourth round while the American barely threw anything except desperate double-leg attempts.
Simon was dropped by Yadong late in the fourth round, only to be saved by the bell. 'Kung Fu Kid' continued his assault in the fifth round, dropping Simon once again hardly a minute in. The Chinese contender unleashed a lethal barrage of follow-up shots, forcing referee Herb Dean to step in.
Catch the finishing sequence below:
SONG YADONG CAPS OFF A MASTERPIECE WITH A FIFTH ROUND KNOCKOUT OF RICKY SIMON #UFCVegas72 https://t.co/R1X50XlBnn
Sean O'Malley and other potential opponents for Song Yadong's next fight
Song Yadong went on to call out Sean O'Malley after his fifth-round stoppage win over Ricky Simon at UFC Vegas 72. 'Kung Fu Kid' also expressed interest in running it back with Marlon 'Chito' Vera, whom he defeated via unanimous decision in a FOTN clash in 2020. The 25-year-old said:
"Sean O'Malley. Or Chito Vera. You wanna fight again? Rematch? If you don't agree our first fight, let's go."
Catch Yadong's comments below:
Sean O'Malley currently sits at number 2 on the bantamweight ladder and is on the crux of getting a title shot. Coming off a split decision win over former champ Petr Yan, 'Sugar' is unlikely to fight down the rankings. However, O'Malley might take it into consideration if Yadong's latest win pushes him a few spots up from his current number 8 ranking.
Meanwhile, number 5 ranked Vera will likely be interested in rematching the Chinese standout. 'Chito' had complained about questionable scorecards in their previous outing, which snapped his five-fight win streak.
I don’t lost the fight to the China men I lost to the judges tonight. All my hard work to the fuckin drain, I can’t believe this horse shit tonight
Barring the aforementioned names, Song Yadong only has a handful of potential opponents like Dominick Cruz and Rob Font for his next fight unless 'Kung Fu Kid' wants to fight down the order.